Student Emergency Funding Guidelines

The Student Emergency Fund was created to help students with financial assistance in a serious time of need. This fund is intended to be a supplemental financial resource when students are unable to meet immediate and essential expenses because of a temporary hardship surrounding situations such as accidents, illness, death of a family member, fire damage or need for temporary housing. Students may apply for funds when they have exhausted all other resources. All other resources, including loans through the Office of Financial Aid, have been considered and are insufficient, unavailable, or not available in a timely manner. This funding is not intended to replace or supplement existing financial aid and does not have to be repaid.  

The spirit of this funding is primarily to support emergency circumstances and priority is given to students in the highest financial need tiers. Funding is usually limited to $500 per academic year and most grants are under $300.  Please note the Student Affairs Division may not be able to fulfill all requests. 

PLEASE REVIEW THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY AS SOME OF THE GUIDELINES HAVE CHANGED

Examples of qualifying needs include, but are not limited to:

  • To minimize immediate critical needs of students caused by acute financial stress
  • Financial support for unusual or unforeseen medical expenses such as emergency medical, dental, vision procedures, and insurance copays
  • Support for temporary housing, and/or other essential needs such as food, due to displacement by fire or other unforeseen environmental hazard
  • Support shelter for a student in a dangerous situation due to acts of violence or other victimization
  • To fund travel or transportation of a student or a student's belongings home due to family emergency, crisis, or death. 
    • Typically we do not cover flights to or from home for Winter Break or Summer Break. This expense is covered in a student’s financial aid package. 
  • Fees for DACA renewals

Expenses not covered by the Student Emergency Fund include:

  • Parking tickets, library fines, or other expenses mistakenly incurred or preventable expenses 
  • Alcohol and drug related offenses, fines and court fees/ Penalties, fines, tickets, legal fees, or jail bonds
  • Taxes
  • Car repairs 
  • Normal and anticipated academic expenses already covered through financial aid (tuition, housing, fees, health insurance, and books)
  • Costs for entertainment, recreation, or non-emergency travel/ travel over breaks (Fall, Thanksgiving, Winter or Spring)
  • Student conferences (These expenses are covered through the Deans' Office)
  • Credit collections or expenditures resulting from poor financial management.
  • Phones
  • Computer replacement due to negligence